A-210 Exterior Renovation
An interlock driveway built on a base made for cars
Interlocking pavers for driveways, patios and walkways, laid on a compacted granular base. In Toronto and the GTA an interlock driveway typically costs $15 to $30 per square foot installed.
- Typical cost
- $15–
$30 per sq ft - Timeline
- 3–5 days on site
- Permit
- Only for City boulevard work
- Prices checked
- 2026
- In-house engineering department
- City permit applications handled
- Free on-site estimates
Free, no-obligation estimate. We typically reply within 24 hours.
A-210.1 Why MKC
Why choose MKC for interlock driveway
A driveway carries cars, so it needs a deeper base than a patio: typically 10 to 12 inches of compacted granular, with a geotextile layer underneath on clay soil. We request the utility locates, excavate, compact the base in layers, slope the surface away from your house and restrain the edges so the pavers stay put. Where the work reaches the City boulevard or the curb, we apply for the street work permit, and our in-house engineers design any retaining wall that needs it.
Permits for the boulevard and the curb
The strip between your property line and the road belongs to the City. In Toronto, repaving, widening or relocating a driveway or walkway there, or changing the curb, needs a street work permit, applied for at least eight weeks before work starts. We prepare the application.
A-210.2 Scope
What’s included
- A-210.1Interlock drivewaysPavers on a vehicle-rated granular base, with excavation and disposal included.
- A-210.2PatiosBackyard patios on a compacted base, sloped to drain away from the house.
- A-210.3Walkways & stepsFront walks, side paths and steps that tie the driveway to the front door.
- A-210.4Borders & patternsSoldier-course borders, banding and laying patterns chosen with the stone.
- A-210.5Permeable paversPaver systems that let rain soak through the joints into the stone base below.
- A-210.6Retaining wallsSegmental block or armour stone walls, engineered where the height calls for it.
A-210.3 Cost guide
What it costs
in Toronto & the GTA
Interlock runs about $15 to $30 per square foot installed in the GTA. A two-car driveway of 600 sq ft comes to roughly $9,000 to $18,000.
Interlock driveway on a vehicle-rated base, with excavation and disposal
Utility locates are requested at least five business days before digging. A typical interlock driveway takes three to five days on site, and a patio or walkway two to three. If the work reaches the City boulevard, the street work permit application goes in at least eight weeks ahead.
Every project is different, so your estimate comes with its own written schedule, and we aim to beat the usual industry timeline on every job.
| Level of work | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Interlock walkway or pathExcavation, granular base, pavers and edge restraint. | $15– |
| Interlock patioExcavation, compacted granular base and pavers. | $18– |
| Interlock drivewayVehicle-rated base of 10 to 12 inches of compacted granular, pavers, excavation and disposal. | $15– |
| Premium pavers or natural stoneHigh-end paver lines, natural stone and custom patterns; can cost more. | $35– |
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Permeable pavers, added cost | $4– |
| Old driveway removal | $1,000– |
| Segmental block retaining wall | $40– |
| Plain concrete driveway, for comparison | $12– |
| Asphalt driveway, for comparison | $3– |
Worked examples
- Example 1
Single-car interlock driveway, 400 sq ft
$6,000–$12,000 - Example 2
Two-car interlock driveway, 600 sq ft
$9,000–$18,000 - Example 3
Backyard interlock patio, 200 sq ft
$3,600–$5,000
What moves the number
- 01Driveway, patio or walkway
Walkways run about $15 to $20 per sq ft, patios $18 to $25 and driveways $15 to $30; a driveway needs a deeper base, which is why driveways reach the top of that range.
- 02Paver line
Paver choice can move the material cost by $5 or more per sq ft. Premium pavers and natural stone run $35 to $50 per sq ft and up.
- 03Removing the old surface
Breaking out and hauling away old asphalt or concrete adds about $1,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the area.
- 04Soil and drainage
Clay soil calls for a geotextile layer under the base, and permeable pavers add about $4 to $8 per sq ft.
- 05Work on City property
Curb cuts and paving in the boulevard need City permits. In 2026 Toronto charges $136.38 for a curb cut, plus the cost of building the ramp.
Ranges cover excavation, base, pavers and labour before HST. City permit fees, old-surface removal, retaining walls and lighting are extra. Concrete and asphalt prices are shown for comparison only. Prices checked in 2026. Not a quote: your estimate is built from your own measurements and choices.
Where these numbers come from
- Landscape construction and work within the public right of way, City of Toronto, Transportation Services (2026)
- Residential Front Yard / Boulevard Parking, City of Toronto, Transportation Services (2026)
- When Do I Need a Building Permit?, City of Toronto, Toronto Building (2026)
- Building Permit Fees, City of Toronto, Toronto Building (fees effective January 1, 2026)
- Locates overview, Ontario Dig Authority (2026)
- Published 2026 price guides and GTA contractor price pages (2026)
G-003 How we work
How we deliver your interlock project
- 1
Free Estimate
Tell us what you have in mind. We review your space and goals and give you a clear estimate at no cost.
- 2
Design + Permits
Our in-house designers model your project in 3D so you can see it and settle every choice. Our in-house engineering team prepares drawings, engineering letters and permit applications.
- 3
Material Procurement
We order from trusted suppliers such as Unilock, Techo-Bloc, Permacon, TimberTech, Trex and Benjamin Moore, and schedule deliveries around the work.
- 4
Construction Process
Our crews build to code with site supervision and regular updates, so you always know where things stand.
- 5
Project Completion
Final inspection, walkthrough and clean-up. On time, within budget and beyond expectations. That is the MKC Guarantee.
Plan your project
with a free estimate.
We review your space and goals and give you a clear estimate at no cost.
A-210.4 Questions
Questions about interlock driveway
Don’t see your question? Call (647) 637-6052 or ask in your estimate request.
How much does an interlock driveway cost in Toronto?
Typical cost in Toronto and the GTA: $15 to $30 per sq ft (Interlock driveway on a vehicle-rated base, with excavation and disposal). By level of work: Interlock walkway or path: $15 to $20 per sq ft; Interlock patio: $18 to $25 per sq ft; Interlock driveway: $15 to $30 per sq ft; Premium pavers or natural stone: $35 to $50 per sq ft. Area and use move the price most, because a driveway needs a deeper base than a patio or walkway. The paver line, removing the old surface, the soil and any work on the City boulevard account for the rest. These are typical ranges, before HST, with prices checked in 2026; your estimate is built from your own measurements and choices.
Do I need a permit for a new driveway in Toronto?
It depends where the work is. The City’s building permit page does not list driveways or paving on your own property. The public right of way is different: installing, widening, relocating, reconstructing or repaving a driveway or walkway there, or modifying a curb, needs a street work permit. A walkway wider than 1.5 metres in the right of way also needs an encroachment agreement. We check your survey and tell you which applies.
Can I widen my driveway or park on the front yard?
Not without approval. Driveway width and front-yard paving are set by the zoning by-law, and widening at the street needs a street work permit and a curb cut. Parking on a front yard or boulevard pad needs its own City permit: in 2026 the application fee is $514.41 plus HST, with an annual renewal of $331.13 plus HST. Front-yard paving that breaks zoning also makes a property ineligible for Toronto’s basement flooding subsidy.
How deep is the base under an interlock driveway?
For cars, typically 10 to 12 inches of compacted granular material, placed and compacted in layers, with edge restraint at the sides. On clay soil, a geotextile layer goes under the base to keep the stone and the clay apart. Patios and walkways carry less weight, so they need less depth.
Interlock, concrete or asphalt: how do they compare?
On price, asphalt is lowest at about $3 to $8 per square foot. Plain concrete runs $12 to $20 in the GTA, with stamped concrete $7 to $10 more, and interlock runs $15 to $30. Pavers can be lifted and relaid if you ever need to reach something underneath, which a poured slab does not allow. We can price more than one surface in your estimate.
Who arranges the utility locates?
We do. Ontario law requires a locate request through Ontario Dig Authority before any excavation. It is free, and a single-address job needs at least five business days’ notice. Digging waits until the locates are back.
Does a retaining wall beside the driveway need a permit?
In Toronto, a retaining wall more than 1 m high on or next to public property, a building entrance or private land open to the public needs a building permit; the 2026 fee is $12.37 per linear metre, with a $214.79 minimum. Walls under 1 m, or on private property that is not open to the public, need none. Segmental block walls run about $40 to $75 per square foot of wall face. Our in-house engineers design the walls that need it.
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